DIY Baking Soda Acne Zapping Masks.

Baking Soda MaskIngredients

• Lukewarm filtered water

• 1-2 tbsp powdered baking soda

• A mixing bowl

• spoon or mixing tool

Preparation:First put the baking soda in the bowl and mix it up to get all the lumps out. Afterwards pour in a tablespoon of water and mix until it is a dense paste. If the mixture is to thick or thin add water or baking soda until it is the desired consistency.Apply it to your face and let it dry. To remove, wash your face with lukewarm water and exfoliate.

Rainbow Cake in a Jar

If there is anything more fun than eating a rainbow in a jar than I don’t know what is. I have seen so many variations of this Rainbow Cake in a Jar floating around, but I was on a mission to make my own version of these to share with you all today for St. Patrick’s Day.

I was looking to create a version of this Rainbow Cake in a Jar combined with this Rainbow Cake in a Jar, but I wanted my jars to be small and I wanted a lighter frosting combination than a heavy and rich buttercream on top. The rainbow cakes that I had seen recipes for were traditionally in a quart or pint jar. While I am sure I could indulge in a quart of cake, these smaller versions are the perfect size for a fun treat to celebrate the holiday.

To begin, you will need to make your cake batter. The cake mix batter that you make from a box can be very runny and create muddy layer. Making your cake batter from scratch only takes a few more minutes, is made from ingredients you already have in your pantry, and will yield a thicker batter that is easier to smooth and create the stacking layers you are going for. No matter how you stack it, this batter will create individual colors for the perfect cake

Since this cake batter is thick, it can easily be scooped with an ice cream scoop. Two big scoops in each bowl of this batter and then add as much food coloring as you like for your rainbow layers. I love the Betty Crocker Neon food coloring, but if I am feeling fancy and professional, I love the Wilton food coloring for rich hues.

These 1/2 pint jars do have a more narrow opening than the wide mouthed jars, but I am not much of a perfectionist when it comes to cake. You will want to just make sure the interiors of your glass jars are sprayed lightly with cooking spray and then spoon in each layer of your rainbow colors (as perfectly or imperfectly as you like).

If you want the striping to be even, you can use a Ziploc bag and just cut the tip off of one corner and pipe each layer in to create perfect stripes. I prefer to be lazy and let the colors lie where they may. Either way should create beautiful rich rainbow colors. Be sure not to fill them higher than about halfway in your jar, otherwise your cupcakes will overflow.

Nestle your jars in a 9×13 baking dish with a rim on it. Pour 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of your baking dish to create a little water bath for your jars.  Wipe up any spills or drips on the edges of the jars before placing them in the oven.

Bake these at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Here are my rainbow cakes. They are definitely perfectly imperfect with the layers, but I still love them. How could a rainbow cake in a jar not brighten someone’s day?

I topped these sweet treats with my favorite 7 minute frosting. If you have never sampled the infamous 7 minute frosting, it is to die for! I am one of those weird people that prefers the whipped cream frosting over buttercream and I think that is why this recipe is such a favorite of mine. It is light and delicious and tastes like a little bit of marshmallow fluff on top of the cupcake.

The secret ingredient to this perfectly-perfect pantry recipe is just a  little bit of boiling water.  You stir the water into the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and cream of tartar, then beat the mixture for seven minutes.  With just these few ingredients, something magical happens and you end up with an amazing amount of frosting… four cups to be exact!

The next time you have no ingredients on hand or simply don’t have the energy to make a big batch of frosting, keep this recipe in mind for the most deliciously light and and easy-as-pie frosting you can ever imagine!

DIY Sweet n' Salty Scrub.

Alright, I'm A HUGE fan of making my own scrubs, It's fast, cheap, and I can make it to my own preferences. My favorite Scrub is what I call the Sweet n' salty scrub.

What You'll need:
~A Jar for you're Scrub
~A bowl to mix
~ 1 cup of Epsom salt or sea salt.
~1 1/2 cups of sugar
~ An essential oil of your choice (Optional)
~ 1/4 cup olive oil or Castor Oil.
~ Food coloring of your choice.

Directions:
 Take your mixing bowl and pour in the salt and sugar.
Mix
Then add one tablespoon of Essential oil if you chose to use some. After this, slowly mix in the Olive or Castor oil until it is at a thick consistency, it should not be watery.
Add two drops of food coloring and Ta-Da!
Cheap, easy, effective scrub that will make your skin feel fresh.
 (Note: Instead of Essential oils, adding a teaspoon of lemon juice is also an option)

The Miracle Mask.

The Miracle Mask

Photo Credit

This DIY mask, made of nutmeg, honey, and cinnamon, is calming and soothing for stressed-out skin – in addition, it smells absolutely amazing!
The secret? Nutmeg and honey act as natural anti-inflammatory, which can reduce swelling and redness in skin. They’re also great for soothing acne scars and preventing infection. In addition, the nutmeg and cinnamon also work to exfoliate your skin when you wash this mask off.
Before you begin, it’s always a good idea to do a small test with homemade mixes on your skin to make sure you don’t have a bad reaction to any ingredients. So remember to do a quick patch test on sensitive skin, like that on the inside of your wrist, before applying this mask to your face.
To create the mask, mix 2 tablespoons of honey with a teaspoon of cinnamon and a teaspoon of nutmeg.The consistency should be like a thick paste. After it’s all mixed, apply the mask to your face and let it sit for 30 minutes. Wash it off with warm water, scrubbing softly in circular motion for exfoliation.

Surviving High school - Must haves

High school can be one of the scariest places you can go, also the most fun. 

High school is where you'll make all your friends that you'll be in touch with for a while. Maybe for some if you it's where you'll get a first boyfriend. I myself am a sophomore in high school now. Let me tell you, freshman year, although it was fun, was FULL of stress and embarrassing moments. So to avoid the no deodorant days, or even the runny nose in class, here are your Must haves. 

Must-Have's:

Packet of tissues:
We're not eight anymore and wiping out noses on our sleeves in High school is socially unacceptable. In winter the flu passes around like crazy and your nose will be dripping like water from a faucet. I remember sitting in my Math class next to my crush and I was not prepared so when I sneezed snot came out all over my hand so I had to  run around the class looking for tissues, which were all out so I had to be excused to go to the bathroom which means running down the hall with a hand on my nose. When I came back my crush has a tissue the whole time and said "Here. Sorry, I just got it out but in case you need it." It was sweet but SO EMBARRASSING! I hid under my hood and avoided him for the whole day after wards.

Pain Killers:
High school puts a lot of stress on us. This leads to Headaches, nervous stomachs, even cold sores! And for my Hooded ladies out there most of us have a cramping issue every month. If your school doesn't allow pain killers. (Which mine doesn't but I bring some anyways... I know I'm a bad person.) Hide them in your backpack or ask a nurse.

Bobby Pins:
Like it or not, you're going to have a bad hair day. It's destiny. So always keep some bobby pins in your bag to pin those crazy fly-away's.

Blotting sheets:
We all have those late days where we have to run to catch the bus, or drive to school. This means no time to was out faces. when I wake up I have oil trouble on my nose, so blotting pads always help me not be Miss Oil nose the rest of the day.

Colgate wisp toothbrushes:
These little things are amazing when it comes to a rush day. They come in packs of four (two on the back an d two on the front.) You go into the bathroom or a bathroom stall and brush like you normally would. When you brush the little thing in the middle pops and it'll smell and feel like you've just had a good brushing.
If you want you can bring a bottle of water to wash out your mouth with.

Deodorant:
Yes, we all forget once in a while to put on deodorant which leads to no hugs or hand shakes throughout the day and hiding under that hood. So always bring some deodorant around to make sure you can hug and be free around whoever you want.

Money:
For Mid-day snacks or even helping out a friend to  get lunch it's always a good idea to bring around a few bucks.

Tampons/Pads:
You never know when mother nature will strike so Keep tampons and pads around for both you and a friend.

Mints:
Brushing does not eliminate bad breath for the whole day, so keep some mints around to refresh, You don't want to run into your crush and have that onion bagel you had for lunch lurking around.

Lip balm:
This is always a good idea to keep your lips soft and gorgeous and maybe even kissable for you lucky ones out there ;).

Pocket mirror:
We don't always have time to stop at the bathroom and check ourselves out in the mirror so bring a mini one just in case.

Water:
Yes, Water is So important to have throughout the day. Always bring a bottle of water and constantly refill it at water fountains so you can stay hydrated and energized everyday!
 -------
I hope you found this helpful and remember, always have a little makeup bag to carry these things in so you don't have to rummage through your backpack :P

Stay amazing my hooded women and Men!
~S.a.g.a.

Flawless Face.

For all my ladies and men who wear makeup.

We all have Bad days where our makeup is caked, or maybe it's hot and sweat takes over our looks, making the makeup look smudged and faded. Either way makeup can be our best friend or our arch enemy.

However, there is a little secret about makeup. It's all about less is more and concealing the right areas.

Concealing the right areas is what will take your face from dull, to glowing, you must always remember to brighten up your complexion. You don't want to seem gloomy.

What you will need:
~ An Exfoliating scrub
~ Your favorite concealer
~ liquid Foundation of your choice
~ A fine pressed powder to set your makeup.

Let me start by saying that if you don't have a scrub you can easily mix up some honey and sugar for a sweet face exfoliation.

Start by splashing warm water on your face, the warmth will open up your pores. Cleanse your face with your normal facial wash. after you are cleansed, you want to gently and thoroughly exfoliate your face, this will eliminate all dead skin cells that can gather and make your face look bumpy. Rinse with Cold water, The cold will close your pores, making your face look smooth. Pat your face dry and add a tad bit of moisturizer. Too much will make your face too slick for makeup, add  only enough to feel fresh.

Now, It's Time to conceal. Follow this picture chart above. The yellow areas are where it's most important to conceal. These areas will lift your face and brighten your complexion.
Also concealing the lids of your eyes is important because your eye lid color is different from the rest of your face.  Make sure to conceal those dark circles and smile lines too! Blend the concealer with a brush or your fingers.

Now that we've done that you want to even your face tone. When blending my foundation I like to use my fingers because they will warm up the foundation making it look smoother and easier to blend. Always remember to move your foundation outwards to your ears, hairline and neck too, this way you will look blended and natural. for extra glow you could add highlighter to your cheekbones, nose, and brow bones. Now it's time for our powder. use a fine powder that will not look fake. Tap on your powder, then swipe it outwards and Ta-da! You should look refreshed and bright!
Any questions comment below or email me.

Stay amazing my Hooded women and Men!

~S.a.g.a

DIY Acne Zapper!

Are you one of those people who, not matter how hard you try, can't seem to shake acne? Or maybe you always have that one huge pimple that always catches the attention of others.
Don't hide under your hood. Acne is such a common problem and so annoying!
Well, we don't have to worry about it for much longer ;) Here's a quick and easy do-it-yourself pimple zapper that will make your acne fade overnight!

What you will need:
~1/2 cup of plain oatmeal.
~Half a lemon.
~1 egg.

Start by cooking the oatmeal as the oatmeal package says to. After a few minutes of letting it cool down, squeeze the juice of your lemon half in. Afterwards, whisk in your egg. Leave it on overnight then bye bye acne!
Sounds strange? Oatmeal is actually a great cleanser! The antioxidants from the oatmeal will stop any swelling while the lemon juice kills all that bacteria in your pores and the egg will smooth it all out.

Enjoy my Lovely Hooded Ladies and Men!
~ S.a.g.a